X-Message-Number: 32645
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:46:21 +0000 (UTC)
From: Melody Maxim <>
Subject: Misrepresenting Staff Members as Medial Professionals


I think it damages the credibility of cryonics organizations, to represent staff
members as medical professionals when they are not. In fact, I am often tempted
to argue it is a form of consumer fraud. It doesn't take much common sense to 
know that people interested in cryonics, who view photos of people appearing to 
be performing surgical procedures, while dressed up in medical garb, and being 
referred to as "surgeons," "perfusionists," or other specific medical 
professionals, will be left with the impression these people have the 
appropriate qualifications, to be referred to as such. It would be extremely 
difficult for me to believe that the people behind those photos and case reports
were not fully aware of this. 


Not long ago, Michael "Mike Darwin" Federowicz publicly claimed to, at one time,
have been a "board-eligible perfusionist." As far as I know, Mr. Federowicz has
never met the requirements anyone making that claim should certainly be aware 
of, those being having graduated from an accredited school of perfusion, and 
performed 100 - 125 human perfusions in a conventional surgical setting. (The 
number of required cases was formerly 100, but was increased in recent years.) I
have an email from a nurse, who was present at an Alcor case, who claims Mr. 
Federowicz claimed both he and Tanya Jones were qualified nurses, when they were
not. I doubt these have been Mr. Federowicz' only misrepresentations of his 
qualifications, or skills.


I think some laymen who have been allowed to perform medical procedures at Alcor
and Suspended Animation take themselves far too seriously, once they put on 
those scrubs. Those garments do not make them medical professionals, any more 
than donning tutu's would make them ballerinas. Again, I think this is a form of
misrepresentation to members of the public, who would never dream a company 
claiming to be a "pioneer," or "leader," in what should be advanced medical 
science, would allow laymen to attempt to perform vascular cannulations, 
perfusion, decapitations, or other medical procedures, for which they are not 
qualified. This type of behavior makes these companies appear to be scams.


Recently, while I was searching a perfusion-related site for the name of a 
perfusionist at a hospital near my home, I was surprised to see Suspended 
Animation's Kelly Kingston listed as a member, and claiming to be a 
perfusionist, in her member profile. As far as I know, Ms. Kingston is an EMT, 
not a perfusionist. It is the responsibility of members of that 
perfusion-related forum, to accurately represent themselves. "EMT" is not a 
choice, on the drop-down menu, for "Occupation" on that site, (most likely 
because, unless an EMT has other medical qualifications, they are extremely 
unlikely to be working in a setting that involves perfusion). While "EMT" is not
offered as a selection, "Other occupation" is, and Ms. Kingston should have 
made that choice. I have no objections to Ms. Kingston being a member of the 
perfusion-related site, but I feel it is inappropriate for her to misrepresent 
her medical qualifications. I would certainly never dream of joining an 
EMT-related forum, and representing myself as an EMT. 


Melody Maxim

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